Need towing advice
Question:
Good post below. Also, if the trailer is a single axle job, you might want to consider trading the trailer in on a tandem axle trailer. Then the boat will be safer on any vehicle. roger, houston
there is No A-frame on the boat trailer where you need it. So the attachment of the distribution bars is difficult without more hardware that’s called a "tongue pole adapter" which costs about 100 more bucks. The "tongue pole adapter" looks like a rectangular tube about 20 inches long and fits across the "tongue pole" of the trailer. Then the chains of the bar assemblly attach to this and is adjusted. I have never actually seen this done and I have considered it for myself in the past. My experience is that if the trailer is properly balanced fore/aft and the tow vehicle class three hitch is bolted on and has a heavy duty draw bar and heavy duty ball , then the you are well on your way to success. The tow vehicle wheel base should be long [such a regular pickup truck (not a jeep/or s-10 length short wheel base) ]. If you are towing with a short wheel base vehicle then even a weight distribution hitch is likely to not make it safe . Also, I would wonder if you are within the legal weight limits of the vehicle…such as GVWR, GVAWR for front and rear; and GCWR for the capacity of this vehicle to tow while it is loaded with people. Start evaluating the weights and balance of the parts first. Not all 23 foot boats weigh the same nor are balanced fore/aft on trailers. Nothing was given about these issues.
Your existing receiver should just accept a weight-distributing hitch assembly. The only "installation" should be attaching chain pull-ups to the A-frame of the trailer. And if the A frame is "open," then you can easily install the pull-ups yourself. $500 sounds like a high price. You should get an estimate from an RV dealer or a U-Haul place. From your description, a weight-distributing hitch is not only highly desirable, but it may even be required if you want to follow the recommendations of GMC, the trailer manufacturer, and possibly your state law enforcement agency. (There was a recent time in MA when *any* accident involving a trailer would be blamed on the driver of the towing vehicle if *any* aspect of the rig was not up to proper standards. This policy may even still be in force! I heard this from the person whom the state used to investigate such accidents.) -Larry Naples, NY (recently moved from MA) > I have a 2000 GMC Sierra 1/2 ton Z71 with towing package. After towing a 23 > ft. boat a few times, I notice the front of the truck porpoise quite a bit > as I go over small bumps or imperfections in the road. It has been > suggested that I do one of two things: > > 1. Add another leaf spring to the back of the truck ($280). > 2. Have a weight distributing hitch installed ($500). > > One of the things I don’t want to do is compromise the ride of the truck > when I am not towing. Will adding another leaf make the ride much stiffer > when I am not towing or should I get the new hitch? > > Any advice is appreciated.
Response:
I have a 2000 GMC Sierra 1/2 ton Z71 with towing package. After towing a 23 ft. boat a few times, I notice the front of the truck porpoise quite a bit as I go over small bumps or imperfections in the road. It has been suggested that I do one of two things: 1. Add another leaf spring to the back of the truck ($280). 2. Have a weight distributing hitch installed ($500). One of the things I don’t want to do is compromise the ride of the truck when I am not towing. Will adding another leaf make the ride much stiffer when I am not towing or should I get the new hitch? Any advice is appreciated.
Response:
Or you could better distribute the weight of the trailer. No more than 10% of the weight of the trailer should be on the tongue. i.e 2000lb trailer 200 on the tongue. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have a 2000 GMC Sierra 1/2 ton Z71 with towing package. After towing a 23 > ft. boat a few times, I notice the front of the truck porpoise quite a bit > as I go over small bumps or imperfections in the road. It has been > suggested that I do one of two things: > 1. Add another leaf spring to the back of the truck ($280). > 2. Have a weight distributing hitch installed ($500). > One of the things I don’t want to do is compromise the ride of the truck > when I am not towing. Will adding another leaf make the ride much stiffer > when I am not towing or should I get the new hitch? > Any advice is appreciated.
Response:
there is No A-frame on the boat trailer where you need it. So the attachment of the distribution bars is difficult without more hardware that’s called a "tongue pole adapter" which costs about 100 more bucks. The "tongue pole adapter" looks like a rectangular tube about 20 inches long and fits across the "tongue pole" of the trailer. Then the chains of the bar assemblly attach to this and is adjusted. I have never actually seen this done and I have considered it for myself in the past. My experience is that if the trailer is properly balanced fore/aft and the tow vehicle class three hitch is bolted on and has a heavy duty draw bar and heavy duty ball , then the you are well on your way to success. The tow vehicle wheel base should be long [such a regular pickup truck (not a jeep/or s-10 length short wheel base) ]. If you are towing with a short wheel base vehicle then even a weight distribution hitch is likely to not make it safe . Also, I would wonder if you are within the legal weight limits of the vehicle…such as GVWR, GVAWR for front and rear; and GCWR for the capacity of this vehicle to tow while it is loaded with people. Start evaluating the weights and balance of the parts first. Not all 23 foot boats weigh the same nor are balanced fore/aft on trailers. Nothing was given about these issues. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Your existing receiver should just accept a weight-distributing hitch assembly. > The only "installation" should be attaching chain pull-ups to the A-frame of the > trailer. And if the A frame is "open," then you can easily install the pull-ups > yourself. $500 sounds like a high price. You should get an estimate from an RV > dealer or a U-Haul place. > From your description, a weight-distributing hitch is not only highly desirable, > but it may even be required if you want to follow the recommendations of GMC, > the trailer manufacturer, and possibly your state law enforcement agency. > (There was a recent time in MA when *any* accident involving a trailer would be > blamed on the driver of the towing vehicle if *any* aspect of the rig was not up > to proper standards. This policy may even still be in force! I heard this from > the person whom the state used to investigate such accidents.) > -Larry > Naples, NY (recently moved from MA) > I have a 2000 GMC Sierra 1/2 ton Z71 with towing package. After towing a 23 > ft. boat a few times, I notice the front of the truck porpoise quite a bit > as I go over small bumps or imperfections in the road. It has been > suggested that I do one of two things: > 1. Add another leaf spring to the back of the truck ($280). > 2. Have a weight distributing hitch installed ($500). > One of the things I don’t want to do is compromise the ride of the truck > when I am not towing. Will adding another leaf make the ride much stiffer > when I am not towing or should I get the new hitch? > Any advice is appreciated.
Response:
Your existing receiver should just accept a weight-distributing hitch assembly. The only "installation" should be attaching chain pull-ups to the A-frame of the trailer. And if the A frame is "open," then you can easily install the pull-ups yourself. $500 sounds like a high price. You should get an estimate from an RV dealer or a U-Haul place. From your description, a weight-distributing hitch is not only highly desirable, but it may even be required if you want to follow the recommendations of GMC, the trailer manufacturer, and possibly your state law enforcement agency. (There was a recent time in MA when *any* accident involving a trailer would be blamed on the driver of the towing vehicle if *any* aspect of the rig was not up to proper standards. This policy may even still be in force! I heard this from the person whom the state used to investigate such accidents.) -Larry Naples, NY (recently moved from MA) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have a 2000 GMC Sierra 1/2 ton Z71 with towing package. After towing a 23 > ft. boat a few times, I notice the front of the truck porpoise quite a bit > as I go over small bumps or imperfections in the road. It has been > suggested that I do one of two things: > 1. Add another leaf spring to the back of the truck ($280). > 2. Have a weight distributing hitch installed ($500). > One of the things I don’t want to do is compromise the ride of the truck > when I am not towing. Will adding another leaf make the ride much stiffer > when I am not towing or should I get the new hitch? > Any advice is appreciated.
